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T.J. Ford's careers with Longhorns, Spurs were 'bigger than basketball'

jordan mitchell
·4 min read
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Then-Spurs guard T.J. Ford watches from the bench during a 2012 game. Ford, who led Texas to the 2003 Final Four, played with San Antonio briefly before retiring but considers the NBA franchise his family. He was honored Thursday night during the Spurs' game at Moody Center.
Then-Spurs guard T.J. Ford watches from the bench during a 2012 game. Ford, who led Texas to the 2003 Final Four, played with San Antonio briefly before retiring but considers the NBA franchise his family. He was honored Thursday night during the Spurs' game at Moody Center.

During the San Antonio Spurs' 129-127 win over Portland on Thursday night, former Texas basketball star T.J. Ford was welcomed to the court for a tribute video between the first and second quarters.

The video was complete with his 27-foot 3-pointer as the shot clock buzzed against the Dallas Mavericks, after which the screen flashed, “Welcome back, T.J. Ford,” bringing the crowd to its feet as he emerged from courtside holding his horns up high.

“I was just in the moment. It hasn’t dawned on me,” Ford said. “My path was different from an injury standpoint. So anytime I can shake a hand and I can take a picture, I'm very appreciative. I haven’t played an NBA basketball game in over 12 years, for people who still have that same reaction for me. It makes me feel good that I really did leave it all on the court.”

More: San Antonio Spurs closing out their long season with two games in Austin

Despite playing 14 games with the Spurs before retiring after a reinjury to his spinal cord, Ford said he considers the Spurs organization family. In addition to playing an hour away on Interstate 35 at Texas, he had one of his best career weekends in San Antonio during the 2003 NCAA Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, when he helped lead the Longhorns to victories over Connecticut and Michigan State. He dropped 11 and 19 points on the Huskies and Spartans, respectively.

T.J. Ford directs the Spurs' offense during a 2012 game. “They have always treated me like family. And they continue to treat me like family,” Ford said. “San Antonio (and) Austin, Texas, is one big, huge family.”
T.J. Ford directs the Spurs' offense during a 2012 game. “They have always treated me like family. And they continue to treat me like family,” Ford said. “San Antonio (and) Austin, Texas, is one big, huge family.”

By the time he was a free agent, Ford said, the Spurs didn’t really have to recruit him because he and the team were already familiar with each other. Coached by Gregg Popovich, San Antonio was regularly competing for a championship, unlike Ford’s previous teams that fought to break into the playoffs.

While the Spurs found success competing for NBA titles during much of Popovich’s 26-year career as skipper, the special part about the team was the treatment of athletes. Popovich operates with a “players are bigger than basketball” philosophy, and that's why Ford is still considered family rather than a fling by the franchise.

“They have always treated me like family. And they continue to treat me like family,” Ford said. “San Antonio (and) Austin, Texas, is one big, huge family. The NBA being able to put this event on allow(s) people here in Austin and San Antonio to get this experience of being one big, extended family.”

While Ford is a former Spur, he said that his love for Texas men’s basketball is unparalleled. He claims that his and former head coach Rick Barnes’ vision for the program not only kindled the initial success it had, making the Final Four, but largely maintained success and a drive to win for more than 10 years.

New UT coach Rodney Terry was an integral part of the winning culture both then and now, serving as an assistant under Barnes from 2002 to 2011 and coming back to Texas in 2021. And Ford reminded that he, Terry and current UT assistant coach Chris Ogden — who played with him in 2002-03 — were all on the court when the Longhorns advanced to that Final Four.

“We (were) in that locker room together; we fought together; we argued together; we loved each other; we cried together,” Ford said. “I know when they made that commitment to come back: 'How can you not be successful with somebody who's willing to do any and every thing to be part of the University of Texas and help you get back to the level we want to get into?’”

Terry’s leadership and the passion that UT men’s basketball radiated this season kept bringing Ford back up U.S. 290 for games at Moody Center and to Des Moines, Iowa, and Kansas City, Mo., for the NCAA Tournament. And while he negates the idea that he's living vicariously through his alma mater, he still has a fire in his belly to see it win some championship banners.

“We still have a lot of work to do because we want to be the Dukes and the Kentuckys,” Ford said. “(But) now when you’re able to look at where this program is at now, I couldn't be more proud.”

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: One more time: T.J. Ford, former Horn, former Spur, honored at game